ALH5249 HEALTHCARE CODING PRACTICUM
3 Credit Hours
Student Level:
This course is open to students on the college level in either the Freshman or Sophomore year.
Catalog Description:
ALH5249 - Healthcare Coding Practicum (3 hrs)
The student will apply the training received through classroom instruction in an online virtual medical office setting. The student will develop competencies to increase understanding and skills in practical business work and medical coding while guided by the instructor.
Course Classification:
Internship/Cooperative Education/Practicum
Prerequisites:
A minimum grade of C in both ALH5240 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Coding, and ALH5242 International Classification of Disease (ICD) Coding. ALH 5240 and ALH5242 must be taken in the same calendar year as ALH5249 due to certification exam changes that may occur each January. Student must also be accepted into the medical coding certificate and/or AAS degree program.
Controlling Purpose:
This course is designed to help the student apply the training received through classroom and virtual office instruction to a position working in the student’s major field of study. This provides a situation in which the student can build upon and modify basic principles of practical business work guided by the instructor, and the student’s related education.
Learner Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, the student will develop competencies to increase understanding and skills in practical business work and medical coding while guided by the instructor.
Unit Outcomes for Criterion Based Evaluation:
The following outline defines the minimum core content not including the final examination period. Instructors may add other material as time allows.
UNIT 1: KBOR Aligned Competencies
Outcomes: Upon completion of the unit, the student will be able to successfully demonstrate the ability to:
- Analyze physician-based setting health records to support patient diagnosis and procedure
- Determine significant diagnoses and procedures
- Assign ICD diagnosis and CPT/HCPCS procedure codes
- Verify ICD diagnosis and CPT/HCPCS procedure codes
- Sequence ICD diagnosis and CPT/HCPCS procedure codes
- Validate data for appropriate reimbursement
- Interact with other ancillary services, healthcare professionals, and necessary customers
- Analyze inpatient and outpatient health records to determine significant patient diagnoses and procedures
- Assign diagnosis and procedure codes to inpatient and outpatient records
- Verify diagnosis and procedure codes to inpatient and outpatient records
- Sequence diagnosis and procedure codes to inpatient and outpatient records
- Validate inpatient and outpatient data for appropriate reimbursement
- Interact with other ancillary services, healthcare professionals, and customers
- Use electronic applications to support clinical classification and coding
- Demonstrate professional behaviors
- Adhere to legal and ethical practices
UNIT 2: Personal Development and Human Relations
Outcomes: Upon completion of the unit, the student will be able to successfully demonstrate the ability to:
- Exhibit proper grooming and attire for the particular work station
- Demonstrate ability to follow written and verbal instructions
- Exhibit the following professional qualities: honesty, confidentiality, courtesy, cooperation, alertness, punctuality, patience, tact, confidence, dependability/reliability, flexibility, and initiative
UNIT 3: Healthcare Reimbursement Competencies
Outcomes: Upon completion of the unit, the student will be able to successfully demonstrate the ability to:
- Demonstrate a general knowledge of word processing, computers, and related technologies as related to healthcare reimbursement
- Demonstrate an understanding of security issues related to healthcare information and medical coding technology
- Demonstrate appropriate use of electronic references and other resources for research and practice of medical coding
- Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose and content of the healthcare record (paper and electronic)
- Demonstrate knowledge of healthcare taxonomies, clinical vocabularies, terminology, and nomenclatures (such as ICD-CM, CPT, SNOMED-CT, and DSM-IV)
- Demonstrate knowledge of standards and regulations related to healthcare documentation as set by such bodies as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- Demonstrate understanding of the medicolegal aspects of the healthcare record (e.g. confidentiality, privacy) and the medical coder’s role in risk management
- Demonstrate an understanding and application of ethics in the medical coding profession
- Demonstrate an understanding of the value of continuing education in healthcare documentation and medicolegal issues as they relate to medical coding
UNIT 4: Professional Practice Competencies
Outcomes: Upon completion of the unit, the student will be able to successfully demonstrate the ability to:
- Accurately use data collection tools such as forms, computer input screens, and other health record documentation tools
- Demonstrate the ability to submit appropriate documentation for reimbursement for healthcare services
- Recognize, evaluate and interpret inconsistencies, discrepancies, and inaccuracies in healthcare reimbursement documentation and appropriately edit for proper reimbursement
- Meet progressively demanding medical coding accuracy and productivity standards
- Demonstrate an awareness of the functions, operations, and dynamics of medical coding work environments
Projects Required:
Varies, refer to syllabus.
Textbook:
Contact Bookstore for current textbook.
Materials/Equipment Required:
None
Attendance Policy:
Students should adhere to the attendance policy outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Grading Policy:
The grading policy will be outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Maximum class size:
Based on classroom occupancy
Course Time Frame:
The U.S. Department of Education, Higher Learning Commission and the Kansas Board of Regents define credit hour and have specific regulations that the college must follow when developing, teaching and assessing the educational aspects of the college. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. The number of semester hours of credit allowed for each distance education or blended hybrid courses shall be assigned by the college based on the amount of time needed to achieve the same course outcomes in a purely face-to-face format.
Refer to the following policies:
402.00 Academic Code of Conduct
263.00 Student Appeal of Course Grades
403.00 Student Code of Conduct
Disability Services Program:
Cowley College, in recognition of state and federal laws, will accommodate a student with a documented disability. If a student has a disability which may impact work in this class and which requires accommodations, contact the Disability Services Coordinator.
Disclaimer: This Information is Subject to Change. For the Official Course Procedure Contact Academic Affairs.
|
